Isle Of Jura Australia Vinilo y CD

Review: This third volume of instrumentals continues the faultless Isle of Jura label's deep dive into dub versions and beyond. Side one takes in references from UK street soul and reggae and features two late-'80s tracks by Howard Hill with machine-led rhythms, rudeboy reggae skank and soulful pads. Protek's 'I Love to Dance With You' is a proto-house gem featured in a Jura Soundsystem mix and here it gets a loving re-edit by The Nightlark. Side B includes an instrumental-driven track with spacey FX from The Cool Notes' and Ilija Rudman's 'Dub 4 Love' which is a knowing nod to acid house's golden era.

Review: Isle of Jura's 18th tasty 7" is from Melody Beecher who serves up a lovers rock cover of an 80s classic. 'Careless Whisper' was originally released as part of a very small run of 45rpms back in 1985. It was written by Beecher and produced by her husband Paul Beecher. The OG has been re-mastered from the original session tape here and then served up in a nice kraftboard sleeve. It is a gorgeous and fleshy cut with splashy hi hats and nice snaking leads with a more heady and fx filled dub on the flip.

Review: Library music maestro and original member of The Shadows Brian Bennett has a raft of sought-after records to his name, but this is surely one of the most prized. As with the best library music, the execution of the compositions is impeccable - like slipping on silken luxury leisurewear for your ears. The record has been a rich source for sampling over the years, so half the joy is in spotting licks and loops from your favourite tunes, but equally these disco-fied delicacies funk all on their own. Lovers of the Black Devil Disco Club vibe will be more than happy getting down to these tasteful cosmic groovers, unbelievably repressed for just the first time on Isle Of Jura since the original release in 1978.

Review: Isle of Jura revisits the wonderful 'A Muto' by Esa here with a fresh reissue of it in original form with various remixes. It was originally released in 1986 on the 'Atesa' album and became an instant hit in Cameroon and Africa. The lyrics of tell the story of a woman leaving her husband, frustrated with her isolation as the housekeeper. The song blends Makossa, a brass-heavy style from the French Cameroons, with Ambasse Bey which is a traditional fast-paced dance music from Cameroon. When it was first written, Martin gathered session musicians in Paris and personally programmed the drums and synths using a Linn Drum and Yamaha DX7 to create a unique fusion of modern and traditional Cameroonian sounds.

Review: Isle Of Jura come through once more with a superbly in demand reissue of a sought after disco cut from the 1980s. 'Save Our Love' by Escape From New York is a blend of disco, new wave and funk that has a mystical atmosphere and drums perfectly of their time. The vocal is full of yearning under the shimmering synths and on the flip is an even more 80s-leaning tune, 'Slow Beat' (dance mix) has more obvious 80s leanings and the 12" closes with the Instrumental of 'Save Our Love, stripping back the vocals and giving more air to the bass.

Review: This rare Brit Funk 12" originally debuted in 1984 and is now reissued for the first time having been officially licensed from producer Lindel Lewis. Original copies fetch up to $500 which reflects the tune's revered status as a collector's gem. It is influenced by US boogie, disco and dub as Lindel was also producing reggae and classics like 'Night Over Egypt' by Mystic Harmony. Produced with a Linn Drum and Roland 106, Lindel's work reflects his background as a classically trained musician and sound engineer. Next to the original, the reissue includes a never-before-released dub version of 'I Need You' and it all comes on 140g vinyl with retro-inspired labels by Bradley Pinkerton.

Review: Isle Of Jura's latest must-have reissue isn't a slept-on Balearic gem, but rather a turn-of-the-'80s disco-boogie classic from sadly departed Nigerian musician Harry Mosco. Many may know the breezy Afro/disco/funk fusion of opener "Sexy Dancer" and the hazy disco-funk genius of "Step On" (both have been reissued in the past), yet it's the lesser-known cuts - particularly the lolloping, Clavinet-heavy dub disco of "Peace & Harmony", spaced-out "Peaceful Dub" and sumptuous jazz-funk slow jam "Do It Together" - that really set the pulse racing. The reissue sounds superb, too, thanks to a killer re-mastering job, so it's no stretch to suggest that it's worth picking this version up rather than tracking down an original pressing.

Review: Seminal cosmic afro record from 1976, this Mancuso staple regularly passes hands for triple figures and has been bootlegged (badly) many times over the years. Here we find the deeply spiritual and reasonably prolific troupe in all their glory. Mystic, restrained, paced and laced with an insistent almost hypnotic Buddhist mantra. "Anambra River" takes us six years closer to the floating crystal city of Budatan, shire of West Heaven with a Morricone sense of drama and emotion. Unleash your inner hippie.

Review: Ronnie Lion is one half of Ambient Warrior and this is his debut solo outing. It finds him paying homage to Spanish Town, which is the capital of St Catherine in Jamaica and that is apparent from the off with its lush Spanish guitar notes fluttering over the face of the dubbed-out low ends and shiny digital chords. Lead guitarist Sean Wilkinson pays plenty of the guitar and the rhythm section has Ronnie himself on bass while Horseman is on drums to bring a heavy foundation. Up to the intricate and memorable hooks add the colour and charm and elements of Bossa Nova and Flamenco guitar also help add extra layers to this fine debut.

Review: Here comes a 2024 repress of this superb dub excursion on nice 140g vinyl with all-new sleeve art. The original compilation marked the debut of the series that delves into instrumental dub versions of elusive and out-of-print gems from reggae, disco, boogie, and house. Kicking off with Glen Adams & Finesse's Island Disco rendition of Marvin Gaye's timeless hit, the A2 spotlights a rare UK boogie and Brit-funk mix of Tippa Irie's 'Panic Panic', with Tippa's personal involvement securing the license. Belgium's Special Occasion brings the '80s vibe with 'Yes I Do' to close the A-side. On the B side, Carol Williams presents the Special Club Dub mix of 'Can't Get Away', originally a limited promo from 1983, while Jura Soundsystem offers a Dubby Edit of La Palace De Beaute's 'Sin', emphasising delay over vocals.

Review: Isle Of Jura's latest on-point release is a new edition of Zann's sought-after 1990 set "Strange Ways/Inside Jungle", a self-released album of experimental, left-of-centre musical fusions produced in the band's basement studio in Dortmund. The record's genius lies in the band's mixture of Eno/Byrne style ambient motifs, delay-laden electronic beats, densely layered African and South American percussion sounds and chiming instruments from South East Asia. There are some suitably trippy tricks employed here and there - backwards vocals, layered field recordings and so on - but also snaking sax lines and cheery synthesizer melodies. In other words, it's an inspired, hard-to-pigeonhole album that just gets better with each successive listen.